Assigktor to american



Sept. 2 1924. 1,507,534

,. R. M. WASON OPHTHALMIC FRAME STRETCHBR Filed April 18, L922 F/EJZZ F/GZZ' INVENTOR R, M. WASON W ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

5 UNITED STATES {PATENT OFFICE ROBERT M. WASON, or soUTHBnIneE, MassaoHUsn'rr-s, Assrenon. ro AMERICAN OPTICAL COMPANY, or SOUTHBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, A voriu'lv'mav asso- CIA'I'ION' OF MASSACHUSETTS.

OPHTHALMIC-FRAME s'rnn'rcrrna.

Application filed April 18, 1922. Serial No; 555,048;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Ronnn'r M. WAsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Southbridge, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in an Ophthalmic-Frame Stretcher, of which the following is a specification.

' This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a lens mounting Idevice'and more particularly to the provision of a process anddevice whereby to quickly and readily mount lenses within the eye wire or frameof spectacle mountings.-

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a device adapted to be engagedwith the eye wire orlens frame of aspectacle mounting, said device being in a heated condition and adaptedto position itself withinthe lens groove in the eye wire or frame so as to heat and expand the eye wire whereby a lens can be quickly and readily placed in position within the groove of the eye wire so that when the eye wire cools and contracts it will tightly engage the edge of the lens. I

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple tool having-a former provided with beveled edges havlng a central ridge between the bevel P01110113. whereby the edges of the former are being expanded. within the groove of the eye w1re when in a heated condition and retain the groove of the eye wire, during stretching, in

a proper state to readily receive the edge of the lens which is to be placed therein so v that when the former is removed from the eye wire the groove" of the eye .WIIQ' Wlll be in the proper condition to receive a seat at the edge of the lens so that when the eye wire cools and contracts the proper grip will be provided for retaining the lens inposition within the eye wire.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a process for mounting lenses in the eye wires or frames of a spectacle mounting wherein means is provided for heating a former adapt'ed to engage within the eye wire or lens frame for'heating andv O stretching the same so that it can be readily engaged with the edge of a lens.

With the aboveand other objects in view the invention consists in the novel features" of construction, the combination and arugauy modified form of vF1gureIII is a detail vertical-section ilrangement of parts hereinafter more fully set forth, shown in which I 'Figure'I is a perspective view of a pair of pliers carrying the former, used in carry ing out my invention. 5 Figure II is a similar viewi'llustrating a theIinventio-n.

pointed out in the claim and the accompanying drawings, in

lustrating the application of the device, and Figure IV is a transverse section taken on the line IV lV ofFigure 1. i

I 11 carrying out my invention'I provide-apair ofhandle members 1 pivoted together by means of the pivot pin 2; The ends of members 3, said jaw members being-pivoted to the link portions 4 of the handles by means of the pivot pins 5.

"Secured "to the outer 'e'ndof each of the jaw 'm'embers 4 is a semicircular form member 6 whereby when two form mem-' bers' are brought togetherthey provide a certain degree before being placed within the eye wire and attention is directed to the fact-that" the edge of the former is provided withbevel surfaces? having a sharp annular ridge 8 disposedbetween said bevel surfaces so as to; provide a form similar to the outlines defined by the grooveupon the interior of the eye wire or frame ofthe spectacle. i r

Prior to applying myimproved tool the two *parts of the former are movedtogether,la'fter' beingheatedto a certain de- 'gree by resting the former upon: a heated surface, so as to close the space betweenthe :two parts offthe former. The former is then reduced to a minimum size which is'inserted within the -r1m oreye wire so that the edges 8 are engaged within the central 7.0 "the handlesbeyond thepivot'2 will" extend circular former adapted to be inserted with to providesfor the contraction .of the same.

In order to adjust the space between the two parts .of the f ormer, partlcularlyadjusting, the jawv members/l; a. pin 9 is eX-- tended thru the jaws and provided with a thumb nut 10 whereby the distance between the .twejaws ma be. readily adjusted so as teincrease or decrease the diameter of the formerwhile its normal inoperative state as shown in Figure 1. j .t p

In order toret-a-in the han'dle members 1 in an;pen position asshownin Figure 1. aicoil spring-11 is provided, one end of saidspring being, connected-to one of the handle members and the other endof the springconnected to the innerend of one of the, jaw members 3, the tension .ofsaid spring being exertedv through said jaw. memher and against the end of the opposite handle to which the jaw member is pivoted. The spring thus serves to swing the handles and jaw members apart or into open position.

In the use of this form of the, invention, the handles are. pressed together, cl'osing'the jaws to former sections being. properly engaged within the lens receiving groove of the, composition rim to be stretched. The adjusting screw 9and nut are then set to: limit the possible separationof the jaws and thus the amount which the frame .m'ay be stretched.- It is then. merely necessary to subject the device to the proper degree of heat, either by standing it on an elec'triccr steam heated plate, by immersing it inhot water, or the like.- The he'atrwill servewto soften the compositienriinto permit of it being stretchech while the spring acting to separate the jaws will automatically and gradually with a substantially even pressure perform the stretching action. .At. the

same time the adjustable screw stop limits.

the amount which the frame is stretched irrespective of the period. duringwhich it is subjected to the heating 6r iseft on the stretcher. Alsothe .spring..keep s the frame stretched and. .pre'v en s it. from. shrinking as long';a's it remains on. the farmers. When desired te apply thestretched to. alens te gethei and release th xrim...

In Figure 1 it will be noted that the two h g O i the 53' also provided with whereby the jaws 3 permit theridge 8 of the itl 'is merely njcessary. to. press the handles sections of the former are cut away to "form the recesses 12 upon" opposite sides of the central spaces which are adapted to receive the metal clamps formed on the non-metallic eye wire or frames so that the ridge portion 8 canenterthe groove of the eye wire freely without any interference on the part of the metal clamp.

In this form of the invention the former can be heated by placing the same upon any heated surface for heating the same to a low degree. After the former is heated it applied stretched to. permit the: lens to be readily inserted therein after which the eye wire will cool quickly. and contract to bind itself upon the edgeof thelens. 1

In Figure 2 I have illustrated a slightly modified form of the invention wherein. the two sections of the former are normally retained in a close position and retained in this position by means of the spring l3,

to the eye wire and the eye wire saidformersbeing constructed in the same i manner as the formers used in thepreferred form of the eye wire has been placed upon the formers they ar stretched or expanded by pressing the handle members .1 inwardly 1 toward each other. This form oftheinVentiOn is may be adjusted toward and away from each other to limit the invention, but after =thev the. adjustable pin, 9*

swinging movement of the same to acconi- I modate various size frames.

,In Figure 3 I have illustrated a section showing the application of .the. stretpher and wherein a heating coil l4 used for heating the two sections of the former. This heating coil 1% may be connected'in any suitable manner to a source supply whereby the former can and readily heated for wires or lens frames 15 sothat it can be readily engaged over the lens 16., the cooling and contracting .of the frame 15 drawing the same entirely up againstthe edge of the lens so that in order to remove the same it will .-b'e.necessary to heat the framevto expand the .same from the lens. I

be quickly I From the above description taken conv nection with the accompanying drawings it will be readily apparent ,t-l'iatl have p o vided a simple and .eflici'ent tool for carrying out animpr-oved process for mounting lenses .within the eye wire or frame of spectaclemounting-s.

. Attention is called tothe factihatjthe edges ofthe former are beveled andridged so that pwhen. they are, appliedtoflthe, eye wire the groove within the eye wire. willf be retained in. .its proper shape sweetener the eye. wire has been heated, and expanded to the]. proper sizetoreadily fit thelens, the edgeof thelenswill readily fi within-the groove of the eye wire and upon seeing expanding 1 ey I I claim: A device of the prising a pair of pivoted handles;

character described, coma Jaw member carried by each, handle, a semicircular plate carr each of said plates shaped to fit wi ied by each jaw member, having its outer portions thin the lens receiving groove of an ophthalmic frame, resilient means to normally urge the seml-circular plates apart to stretch the ophthalmic frame, a shaft received through said jaw members, and means carried by the shaft 1 to stop the separation of the jaws at a predetermined point so that the ophthalmic frame may be stretched to a predetermined size. v

ROBERT M. WASON. 

